Time for Phil Hughes To Exit Yankee Rotation

We get it by now. The once-heralded phenom Phil Hughes is what he is at this point. Nothing more than a 4 or 5 in a Yankee pitching rotation or 3 or 4 elsewhere (National League probably) who never fully reached his full potential in New York and is more up and down than a Northeast roller coaster during the Summer time. It's time for the Yanks to pull the plug on Hughes as a starter this season and let him walk after 2013 and let him try his hand elsewhere.

There are a few reasons for this. One, Hughes just isn't good enough to stay in the rotation. Two, he sets the Yanks back during most starts by giving up too many home runs and not putting people away. Three, the Yanks have reinforcements. It is worth giving Ivan Nova another shot, plus Michael Pineda is no more than two Minor League starts away from getting his turn in the Bronx. David Phelps seems to have more confidence than Hughes and should stay short term in the rotation. Phelps also gives the Yanks a far better chance to win.

I always thought Phil Hughes had starter stuff as opposed to say a Joba Chamberlain. But his time has run out in the Bronx. The Yanks would do the team a favor by moving Hughes out of the rotation and into the bullpen or trading him, and do Hughes a favor by giving him new life, say in the National League West.

Now, Brian Cashman and The Boss' boys just have to read this article and wake-up.

By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankees pre/post game host on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/MikeLSports.